As some of you know I just purchased my own property to hunt just 2 months ago. I am a bow hunter that is used to sitting in a tree and waiting for the right deer to come along. My property that I purchased has a elevated blind with pond about 61yards away and a feeder 129yards away. I have never used a blind nor a feeder however after bow season I plan to get the rifle out and use what came with my purchase. My question is during Rut how often are deer really near a feeder?
Is the feeder used to basically keep the deer in the area for that 1 great opportunity?
I hear of folks using deer attractants and other stuff in the area of or between the blind/feeder, I guess you can call that baiting does this stuff really work? Deer blocks? Deer attractants from a bag? Etc

Yes I'm a rookie to this part of hunting I guess you can say! I was taught over the years to scout out an area and just sit and wait. Just trying to enjoy the sport in other ways.

I had deer at my feeder all through season up until Early January. And as long as the doe's kept coming to feed the bucks came with them during the rut.

Yes feeders are used to keep deer feeding and comin to a particular area. Some become resident deer and some wander a handful of properties. During the rut and most of the year does are coming to the feeder, the bucks almost always follow during the rut, not true everywhere.
Scouting an area is just as important. Check out the rest of your property for game trails and set your bow stand in a good spot, not near your feeder.

The bagged stuff may work once they get used to it but may scare them away at first.

Yeah I already put my bow stand on a main trail that leads towards my feeder.
Lots of tracks and I have seen a few in person as well.
The feeder has 2 doe and 2 fawn so far.

This may be a year of setting the property up so the deer know exactly where everything is.
The feeder has been going since the first of July so it's not like I just put it up plus the pond still has pleanty of water with tracks all the way around it.

Anyone know around what month rut kicks in strong around the Stephens county area? I'm still on Hamilton is my last place to hunt and mid November to the first part of December was full rut.

I would be cautious of hunting the same bow stand every time you hunt. The wind will not be exactly the same every time you hunt it. Getting into and out of the stand will be critical so you do not spook deer. They will pattern you over time. Hunting the same location every time out will leave a lot of your scent around the stand and on the trails you take in or out. All of this is not good for keeping deer activity high around your feeder. Have several different locations to hunt from if you can for each wind direction and sun angles. Use game cameras on trails, water and the feeder to find out how deer are approaching and moving around your property. Remember, if the wind is not perfect for your stand do not hunt that day. Nothing worse than having deer smell you. Once an old do finds where you are sitting she will give you fits every time you hunt. What would be worse if a shooter bucks is the one that busts you.

Hunt close to you in SW Young county and rut is a bit earlier, as early as late Oct. - about Thanksgiving...Peak is probably 2nd week of general season would be my guess

I actually brought all 3 of my tree stands from my lease I was paying towards in Hamilton. The day the ink hit the paper I literally went straight to my property and started installing my tree stands.
Yeah my blind has windows all the way around it and sitting up in the air I'm noticing wind is always blowing through it when the windows are opened.








Oh wow that early huh

The bucks come to the feeders before , during, and after the rut. Before and after to eat and during to chase the girls that come to the feeder to eat. Of course does come to the feeder all the time also, but get sort of shy right before the rut and during the rut.

My experience anyhow, rut is effectively done the week of Thanksgiving..

Ok. Yeah I always thought the same thing however the last few seasons with Warmer fall temps I often wonder if it's later